Dental apparatus



. j Jan; 1l, 1927. 1,613,659- l... C. HICKOK DENTAL APPARATUS Filedpril 1'r 1925 2 sheets-sheet@ INVENTOI; Leon @,fjc/Ial- BY -1 miras; .v

ATTORNEY.

' 1,613,659 l.. c. HlcKoK.

DENTAL APPARATUS Jan. 11, 1927-.

Fiied April 17, 1925 2 Sheets-sheet 2,

. INVENTOR Lem @.HiC-JUJ/a SVl'Zve-fs: BY

@has '7l/ Mc@ M" l ATTORNEY.

Federated dan. 11, 1927.

Y NEE PTF,

LEON C. I-IIGKGK, OF GRAND RAPDS, MICHGAN.

DENTAL APPARATUS.

The present invention relates to dental apparatus, i. e. such apparatus as is employed by dentists, preparatory to making articial teeth, for positioning the patients jaws in that proper interi-relation in which the artificial teeth carried thereby will properly meet in the closing movement of the jaws; in other words, apparatus for taking the bite7 of such teeth; and the object of this invention is, generally, to provide an apparatus of this character which may be readily adjusted' and operated, and which will prove accurate in operation; and further and more specifically, to provide such an apparatus improved in various respects hereinafter appearing. j

rlihese objects are attained by, and the invention iinds preferable embodiment in, the apparatus hereinafter particularly described in the body ci this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my dental apparatus applied to the patients head and iw;

Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is an inner side view oi the chin support of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is an upper edgewis-e view of the same, shown partially in central longitudinal section;

Figure is an inner side view of a covering plate carrying a ratchet wheel, etc.;

Figure 6 is a side view of a plate carried at the side oi" the head gear ot 'the apparatus;

Figure is an upper edgewise view thereof;

Figure 8 is a view of a device tor securing an end ot the chin supports connecting cord to said plate; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the same taken on lino 9-9 oi Figure 8.

inasmuch as the human jaws are loosely jointed together, and as the patient is likely to project his lower jaw. when the bite is being taken, it is found difiicult in dental practice to properly position the jaws interrelatively in thus taking the bite. rlhe object of the present invention is to obviate this diiiiculty.

ln the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and for 'detailed'description in the body of this speciiication, my dental apparatus comprises a head gear designated generally 1, and a chin support designated generally 2, connected bv a cord or cords 3 in such manner that the -chin support may be drawn toward the head gear by the cords and may be held thereby in adjusted position relatively to the head gear; This head gear has at its opposite sides metallic plates 4v comprising arms 5 adapted to contact the wearers head, and other "arms 6, preferably flexible or resilient, positioned forwardly oi the arms 5, and spaced from the sides oi' the wearer-s head, so that his lower jaw may open and close without frictionally engaging said arms 6. rlhese plates 4 are held in position on the opposite sides of the Ywearers head by adjustable straps 7, 8, any of whose holes 9 may be engaged by tongues 10, 11 oit the flexible metallic strips 12, 13 carried in connection with these straps respectively, the ends of strap Tbeing detachably secured on buttons 14 carried by these plates and the ends of strap 8 being detachably securedon buttons 15 carried by the rear arms 5 of said plates.

The chin support 2 has a centrally disposed hollow or cup 16 adapted to receive the wearers chin, and arms 17 extending laterally (horizontally) carrying guide members 18 over which the cord or cords 3 slidably bear, said members being held in longitudinally adjusted positions by set screws 19 passing therethrough and through elongated slots 2O in the arms 17 and threaded in nuts 21 slidable along `the arms inner surfaces. By this meansA the apparatus may be a'djusted to wearers heads of different widths, and the arms 6 ot' the plates 4 may be held by the tensioning of the cords adjustably out of Contact with the wearers head for the purpose above mentioned. Suitable means for tightening the cords are carried by the chin support, such preferable means, as shown, being a winch 22 turnable in bearings 23 in the chin support and carrying a ratchet wheel 24 having a pawl 25. The cord may be in single piece as shown, its middle portion being freely slidable through a 'diametrically-eXtending opening 26 in the winch, so that when the cord is in its unwound position, as seen in Figure 4, it may be slid in` said opening to position the winch midway between the ends of the cord secured to the side plates 4. rlihe turning of the winch by its handle 27 winds the cord on the winch and presses to the desired 'degree the wearers chin toward the plates 4. The ends of the cord are desirably carried by heads 30 slidable in hollow cylinders 31 having ears 32 lili) lill pivot-ally mounted on the plates d as by their pins 33 passing through holes 34 in these ears; and the lower ends of the cylinders have threaded plugs 35 through which the cord passes as shown in Figure 9. -Sp'rin'gs 3G between the heads 30 and plugs 35 may be tensioned to the desired degree by screwing down the plugs, thus providing an adjustably Vyielding connection of the ends of the cords to the plates 4. The degree of the tension ot these springs is indicated by the cylinders gages 87. A removable covering plate 38 secured to the body ot the chin support by screws 39 closes the chamber 40 containing the ratchet wheel, ete.

VFfhis invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims; is not tobe limited to or by details of construction ot Ithe particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbetore described.

l claim:

1. ln dental apparatus: a head gear; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch and secured to the head gears opposite sides. Y

2. In Adental apparatus: a head gear; a

'chin support; a winch carried thereby; a

cord `having its ends secured to the opposite sides respectively of the head gear and haring itsmiddle portion Jfreely slidable trans: versely ot the winch in the cords unwound position.

3. In dental apparatus: a head gear; a chin support having guide 'members movable to adjustably held positions; a winch carried lby said support; a cord wound on the winch andy having end portions slidable on the guides and secured to the opposite sides respectively of the head gear.

` Li. In dental apparatus: a head gear; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch and having its ends secured yieldingly to the head gears 'opposite sides.

5. InV dental apparatus: a head gear; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a

cord wound on the winch and having its ends secured adjustably-yieldingly to the head gears opposite sides. y

6. In dental apparatus; a head gear vhavvable to adjustably held positions;

chin support Ahavi ing at its opposite sides arms adapted to Contact the wearers head and arms positioned Jforwardly from the hist-mentioned arms and spaced trom-the wearers head; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch and having its ends secured to the second-mentioned arms. Y 7. ln dental apparatus: a head gear havat its `opposite sides arms adapted to contact the wearer-s head and resilient arms vpositioned forwardly from the first-inentioned arms and spaced from the wearerfs head; 'a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch and having its ends secured to the second-mentioned arms.

8. In dental apparatus: a heat. gearharing at its opposite sides arms7 adjust-ably connected by means extending behind the wearers head, and 'adapted to contact the wearers head and a 1ms positioned forwardly Vtrom the first-mentioned arms and spaced from the wearers head; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch 'and having its ends secured to the second-mentioned arms.

9. In dental apparatus: a head gear havi'ng at its 'opposite sides arms spaced from the wearei"s head; a chin support; a winch carried thereby; a cord wound on the winch and having its ends 'secured to said arms.

l0. AIn dental apparatus: a `head gear; a chin support having guide members mov- `a cord having end portions slidable on the guide members and secured to the opposite sides respectively ot th-e head gear; means carried by said support for tightening the cord. il. ln dental apparatus: a head gear; a l guide members Vmovable to adjustably heldpositions; a cord Vhaving end portions slidable on the guide members and secured yeldingly to theopposite sides respectively of the head gear; means carried by said support for tightening the cord.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand at Grand Rapids; Michigan7 this 3rd day of April, 1925.

LEoNy c. HroKoK. 

